How Darren Buchanan Jr. uses NIL and basketball to transform Washington D.C. community

As George Washington men's basketball player Darren Buchanan Jr. stood on the sidelines at his basketball camp, a skills and drills clinic he hosted for children in the Washington, D.C., area, he watched a small boy dribble and score at the basket, using a move that Buchanan had taught him earlier in the day.

Tears began welling in Buchanan's eyes. He excused himself from the gym, and the moment the door shut in the bathroom, he allowed himself to cry.

"I'm actually having my own camp," he thought to himself. Joy and pride washed over him.

Buchanan hosted the Leg3ndary Experiences Basketball Camp in Washington, D.C., while training for his sophomore season at George Washington, where he broke out as an impact player in the Atlantic 10 Conference. He earned Atlantic 10 All-Rookie honors in his first year after transferring from Virginia Tech, but he found himself struggling through some of the workouts.

Yet Buchanan said watching children run around, dribbling basketballs and enjoying the game, hit him with perspective.

"Man, this kid just inspired me to just work harder. Just seeing them having fun in the gym, playing basketball. How can I take this for granted?" Buchanan reflected.

With name, image and likeness revenue earned as a college basketball player, Buchanan has hosted the free basketball camp and a series of events to benefit the Washington community. He calls them "Leg3ndary Experiences."

"I'm not a materialistic guy, so I use NIL to fund all of that stuff," he said. "I just feel like it was for something bigger than me. I had to share it with them."

At his back-to-school drive, Buchanan gave away 120 book bags with school supplies in them. He gave free haircuts. Little girls had their hair braided and their nails done. There was a moon bounce, an ice cream machine, a basketball court and a playground.

"I'm big on energy," he said. "Being around the kids having fun, dancing, screaming, playing? Yeah, I love it. I was on the moon bounce jumping with the kids. I love being around it."

During Thanksgiving, Buchanan fed home-cooked meals to the homeless. At Christmas, he served as a secret Santa for a few D.C. families, buying all the presents on their lists. "Christmas is on me," he told them.

Buchanan said his parents, Darren and Tiffany, raised him and his siblings, Darrius and Zakia, to understand the power of giving back. He said his whole family is involved in his community service, an experience that brings them together as a family.

"(My mom,) she's the CEO," he said. "She's that girl. My dad, he just plays behind the scenes, but he's still highly involved. Every event, all of my cousins, family, even closest friends were there helping me. … That's why I love it."

Growing up in Washington also spurred Buchanan's desire to give back to his community.

"I was born and raised there, so I know the tough battles that come with growing up in D.C," he said. Buchanan said some of his childhood friends were killed, some were arrested and some went to jail.

"It was hard because you're around it so much," he said. "t's easy to join in all the violence, but I had the right people in (my) corner. It comes down to what you want for yourself."

He credits his parents for keeping him on the right track.

His parents would tell him, "They could still be your friends, but you know you want bigger. Stay down and just keep working hard."

He said basketball and football kept him grounded. He spent a lot of time in the gym with his older brother, Darrius, and his dad.

"I just knew I didn't have to be that. There was something else set out for me to do," Buchanan said.

Since transferring to George Washington, Buchanan has made more than just an impact on his community. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 15.6 points per game in his first year as a Revolutionary.

"He was the heart and soul of our team, even as a freshman. He plays with a lot of heart and can do a lot of different things," said Jihad Ali, associate athletics director for business administration at George Washington. "He's pretty much a cornerstone for our program."

Ali also spoke highly of Buchanan's efforts off the court.

"He grew up understanding the power of giving back. It is dear to him, something he believes in, something that builds up from the kindness of his heart," Ali said. "Darren is one of our best student-athletes. He kinds of sets the tone for everybody."

In the fall, Buchanan was one of 14 players selected to attend the NCAA Elite Men's Basketball Symposium. He traveled to Indianapolis for the event aimed at educating student-athletes on their upcoming transition from college to professional careers. At the event, he learned tools for his future success from former and current NBA players, coaches, financial experts and other industry professionals.

"Not too many people get the opportunity to be in a situation like this," he said at the NCAA symposium. "I'm forever grateful for everything because where I came from, like I said, it's hard to get to these places.

 "I'm gonna definitely take everything back to change my approach on how I see life, change my approach on how I'm working out in the gym, how I'm being to my teammates," he added. "I'm going to share all this information with my teammates because my success doesn't go if they are not with me."

Buchanan took the messages from the symposium to heart, and the results have shown on the court. This season, he has helped lift his team to a 17-9 record thus far after a 15-17 record last year.

The Elite Symposium reaffirmed to Buchanan his hard work has been noticed. Through his success on the court and his efforts in the community, Buchanan hopes to inspire the next generation of Washington-area children.

When he speaks to children about his own experiences, he leaves them with this piece of advice, words that have shaped his perspective on life: "You don't have to be the product of your environment. Be a product within your environment."